At last, Easley set to make debut with Bills

William S. Paxton

Updated 12:27 am, Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Photo: Rick Stewart, Getty Images

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - AUGUST 27: Marcus Easley #81 of the Buffalo Bills takes a drink against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ralph Wilson Stadium on August 27, 2011 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) less

ORCHARD PARK, NY - AUGUST 27: Marcus Easley #81 of the Buffalo Bills takes a drink against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ralph Wilson Stadium on August 27, 2011 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 35-32 in ... more

Photo: Rick Stewart, Getty Images

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley (81) jumps into the arms of Buffalo Bills linebacker Kirk Morrison (58) after returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason football game Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in Detroit. The Lions defeated the Bills 38-32.(AP Photo/Duane Burleson) less

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley (81) jumps into the arms of Buffalo Bills linebacker Kirk Morrison (58) after returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth ... more

Former Husky and current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley holds his 2nd Annual E.A.S.Y (Excellence, Achievement, Striving, Youthful) Summer Camp, a one-day football camp for children 6-15 years old, at Bunnell High School in Stratford Saturday, June 30, 2012. less

Former Husky and current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley holds his 2nd Annual E.A.S.Y (Excellence, Achievement, Striving, Youthful) Summer Camp, a one-day football camp for children 6-15 years old, at ... more

Former Husky and current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley holds his 2nd Annual E.A.S.Y (Excellence, Achievement, Striving, Youthful) Summer Camp, a one-day football camp for children 6-15 years old, at Bunnell High School in Stratford Saturday, June 30, 2012. less

Former Husky and current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marcus Easley holds his 2nd Annual E.A.S.Y (Excellence, Achievement, Striving, Youthful) Summer Camp, a one-day football camp for children 6-15 years old, at ... more

After twice landing on the Buffalo Bills' injured reserve list to start a season, the former UConn star and Stratford native hoped to make the opening day roster of the NFL squad this year. Instead, he had to bide his time on the practice squad for nine weeks before the Bills promoted the wide receiver to the active roster on Tuesday.

"That's the news today," Easley said when reached by phone from Western New York Tuesday night. "It's long overdue, especially with what I have been through. I'm glad the time has finally come."

Easley, a former fourth-round pick of the Bills in 2010, has been snake-bitten with setbacks throughout his NFL career that have prevented him from making a regular-season debut.

In 2010, he missed the season after suffering a knee injury in the preseason, and then last year, he was shut down with a heart ailment, which he has declined to discuss, in mid-September that also put him on the sidelines for the season.

This summer, he returned to Bills' camp, but was cut on Aug. 31 and later re-signed to the practice squad. Easley started slowly in the preseason but did return a kick 100 yards for a touchdown against the Deroit Lions on Aug. 30 in the final game before the regular season began.

"To be honest with you, it's a lot like being a walk-on," the 6-foot-2, 217-pound Easley said about his practice squad experience. "People who have followed my career at UConn know what happened."

Easley was more than just a later bloomer with the Huskies. In his first 26 games, the Bunnell graduate and former walk-on caught just five passes. But he finished his senior season with the Huskies as their top receiver in 2009 with 48 catches for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. The breakout year helped grab the attention of the NFL and eventually led to him being drafted by the Bills.

Now, Easley hopes to make the most of his chances as a full-time member of the team. Buffalo travels to Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest with the AFC East-leading New England Patriots. Easley is optimistic he will be on the active roster that day.